Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter and Season Four of ‘Justified’

Having taken our first three looks into the FX television series Justified (2010-2015) back as early as 2019 with looks into seasons one, two and three, we resume our look today with season four of the Graham Yost created series. The fourth season originally aired from January through April of 2013, with Harlan, Kentucky being the center of our dysfunctional criminal series based in action and drama. Season four was the final season with novelist Elmore Leonard, whose story Fire in the Hole and other works provided source material for the series, still alive.

(From left, Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens, Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder and Jim Beaver as Sheriff Shelby Parlow in the fourth season of the FX series Justified).

The fourth season balanced multiple storylines effectively, with series centerpieces Raylan Givens, Boyd Crowder, Ava Crowder and Art Mullen playing their parts with less prominence at points through the season. The prominence of other characters through the course of the season offered compelling storytelling while, by season’s end, delivering top notch drama including series regulars that really deliver.

(From left, Joseph Mazzello as Billy St. Cyr, Lindsay Pulsipher as Cassie St. Cyr and Ron Eldard as Colton ‘Colt’ Rhodes in season four of the FX series Justified).

Looming heavy through the season is the notion of reckoning with who characters really are. The notion starts with fallout for the murder of Delroy Baker from season three. Tangled up in this story is that of Ellen May, a prostitute with a complicated story tied to Ava and Boyd Crowder’s connection to Delroy’s death. Colton ‘Colt’ Rhodes story is heavily tied to Ellen May and the Crowders, overlapping with the past impulses of Boyd with the introduction of the ministry of Billy St. Cyr and Cassie St. Cyr. The decisive roles Tim Gutterson and Johnny Crowder offer in Colt’s story work really well on a human level. David Meunier portrayed Johnny Crowder.

(From left, Nick Searcy as Art Mullen, Jacob Pitts as Tim Gutterson and Erica Tazel as Rachel Brooks in season four of the FX series Justified).

Then there is the story of Drew Thompson, which in learning of of the hidden identity and the loyalty surrounding the protection of it, forms the central mystery for the season. The fates of Hunter Mosely and Arlo Givens gently weaving into this larger story, intersecting well with Raylan, lends strength to what attracted me to this season of Justified.

(From left, Abby Miller as Ellen May, Raymond J. Barry as Arlo Givens and Brent Sexton as Former Sheriff Hunter Mosley in the fourth season of the FX series Justified).

The Jody Adair, Randall Kusik and Lindsey Salazar introductory stories in the earlier episodes of the season, featuring Chris Chalk, Robert Baker and Jenn Lyon, respectively, set important groundwork in furthering the story of season four well. Giving us evidence that the two sides of Raylan Givens were tugging at him, with the story of being a law enforcement officer getting set against Raylan’s sense of family, professionalism, and the influences of his parents, parallels and points to a similar dynamic playing out for Ava and Boyd Crowder.

(From left, Mykelti Williamson as Ellstin Limehouse and Joelle Carter as Ava Crowder in the fourth season of the FX series Justified).

The ramping up of Ava Crowder’s involvement in Boyd’s heroin empire in Harlan brings together sense of family and loyalty, which in tying back to Ellen May, the Delroy Baker death, the church attempts of the St. Cyr siblings, and a road that brings in Ellstin Limehouse through Detroit, Michigan and the past of Drew Thompson, gives so many glorious layers of connection that I cannot help to love season four of Justified. The Michigan angle of course renews the stories of Wynn Duffy, Nicky Augustine and their sponsors in Theo and Sammy Tonin. While we do not see Alan Arkin nor William Mapother in their roles as Theo Tonin or Delroy Baker this season, we do see Max Perlich as Sammy Tonin at a crucial time in the revelation of Raylan Givens’ character.

(From left, Mike O’Malley as Nicky Augustine, Jere Burns as Wynn Duffy and Patton Oswalt as Constable Bob Sweeney in season four of the FX series Justified).

Notably, the stories of Rachel Brooks and Art Mullen were not offered revelation through this season in the way that stories for other characters were. We did get back in contact with Winona Hawkins, as portrayed by Natalie Zea, later in the season. To say that Brooks, Mullen or Hawkins were afterthoughts for this season is perhaps an overstatement for what was a strong season of revelation and meaningful ends for characters new and old. I give season four of Justified 4.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five.

Matt – Saturday, August 26, 2023

Movie review of The Shawshank Redemption

A pair of good friends have listed the movie The Shawshank Redemption (1994) in their top ten movies of all time. I am so glad that both my friends Cobra and Airport Friend recommended this movie in their top ten lists of movies because I found an entertaining movie with strong messages of hope, friendship, and perseverance in what Fandango called a “humane prison drama.”

Nominated for seven Academy Awards, The Shawshank Redemption was adapted into the Oscar-nominated screenplay by Frank Darabont. The screenplay itself is based on the Stephen King story Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, one of four “novellas” included as part of the book Different Seasons.

The central humanity of the story comes from the growing bond forged over years of incarceration at the Shawshank prison that purportedly exists in New England generally and most likely Maine specifically.

(Andy Dufresne, left, and Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding)

The character Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding narrates the story and plays a large role, both parts portrayed by Morgan Freeman. Red is guilty of the crime that put him behind bars, though acts of common decency through the film make him sympathetic to the movie viewer.

Andy Dufresne as played by Tim Robbins is brought to prison after falsely being convicted of the murder of his wife and her mistress. Dufresne was first imprisoned in 1947 through a false imprisonment, though the truth of this outcome is unclear for the movie viewer through much of the film.

Two of the primary antagonists pitted against Andy and Red are Warden Samuel Norton as played by Bob Gunton and Captain Hadley as played by Clancy Brown. The two authority figures proved themselves corruptible, corrupted, and from their first scene incorrigibly abusive of their bent of religion that they saw fit to proselytize upon a prison population in a false and contemptible way. Norton and Hadley were culpable for two murders, extortion, tax fraud, and other crimes within the prison.

(Ellis Boyd ‘Red’ Redding, left, Warden Samuel Norton, center, and Captain Hadley)

The Shawshank Redemption was not ranked in the Matt Lynn Digital listing of movies prior to this review. The message about common decency leading to redemption is a strongly American story. That those in the wrong were given their comeuppance extends that trope further. From these perspectives, you will complete a viewing pleased satisfied. For this reason, I recommend that you see The Shawshank Redemption soon.

Matt – Tuesday, January 02, 2018.